Guidance track systems for electric vehicles that travel on or about a guidance track are known in the art. For example, model railroads have been popular for many years. Model railroading centers around an electrically powered engine which is used to pull one or more miniature cars along a track. The track typically consists of two upright, parallel rails that are held in position and separated by a dielectric material usually in the form of miniature railroad ties and, perhaps, additional electric insulators. The parallel rails are shaped to form a number of turns and straightaways in the track along which the train travels. Typically, the rails are made of an electrically conductive metal such as steel or brass. A power supply is used to provide power to the rails.
Each of the respective cars in the train, i.e., the engine and individual rail cars, has a set of wheels that is positioned on the top surface of the rails. It is on this top surface that the wheels ride as the train travels along the track. Wheels of the engine are made, at least in part, of an electrically conductive material which remains in electrical contact with the top surface of the rails as the train travels along the track. Such wheels serve as electrical contacts which allow the power applied to the rails to be coupled through the wheels to an electric motor located in the engine. As a result, the electric motor turns one or more of the engine wheels, and the train is driven along the track. By adjusting the voltage provided to the respective rails, the operator can control the speed and direction of the train.
In addition to model railroading, there are other electric powered vehicles which are guided along a track. For example, there are model race cars and full and small scale monorail vehicles. A few exemplary model train and car systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,962,563, 3,729,133 and 3,075,705. Accordingly, although the present invention is discussed primarily in the context of model railroading, it will be appreciated that the present invention has applications in other areas including model cars and the like. In addition, the present invention has applications in controlled assembly, delivery systems and/or production systems, as is described more fully below.
There have been several problems associated with previous small electric vehicle guidance tracks, particularly with respect to model railroading. One problem involves the manner in which the wheels of the train are directed along the track. Typically, the wheels on a standard model train include a radically extending flange or lip formed along the inner edge of the wheel and a cylindrical support surface relatively at the outer edge of the wheel. The flange on each wheel is designed to abut up against the inside edge of the rail as the outer edge of the wheel rides atop the top surface of the rail. The physical interaction between the wheel flange and the inside edge of the rail causes that particular wheel on the train to be directed in the direction of the rail as the train proceeds along the track, as is known.
Unfortunately, often times, the interaction between the wheel flange and the inside edge of the rail is not adequate to prevent the respective wheel from falling off the top of the rail such that the train becomes derailed. With standard model railroad sets, such as HO-gauge or N-gauge, the radial diameter of the wheel flange is relatively small in comparison to the radial diameter of the outer edge of the wheel which rides on top of the rail. As a result, the train, or, more specifically, the wheels of the cars on the train, can become derailed even when travelling at moderate speeds. The flange on the wheel sometimes is not able to counteract the forces exerted on the wheel due to the momentum of the train, and, as a result, the flange slips out of position from the inside edge of the rail, thus causing the wheel to fall off the rail. This is why the wheels of the train are particularly likely to derail when encountering a sharp turn.
Another problem associated with previous model railroads is that after the train has derailed, it is quite unlikely that the train will rerail itself. As is noted above, the rails of the track sit on top of the dielectric material used to separate the rails. As the train derails, the derailed wheels slip from the top surface of the rail and fall off to the side of the rail. Gravity then plays a role in preventing the derailed wheels from returning to their proper position atop the rails. As a result, such tracks in the past have required that the operator shut down the track and reposition the train atop the rails before proceeding after a derailment.
Furthermore, the initial positioning of the train on top of the rails presented a problem to the operator. When dealing with smaller model trains, such as N-gauge and Z-gauge, the wheels on the cars and the rails themselves are so small that it is difficult to align the wheels on top of the rails. This can lead to operator frustration, particularly for children who have not yet developed good hand-eye coordination. In an effort to alleviate this problem, special railing tools have been developed for assisting in properly positioning the cars on top of the rails.
Yet another problem associated with known model trains has been the inconvenience associated with assembling and transporting an entire track layout. Typically, model train track is sold in separate sections ranging from about six to twelve inches in length. The curved and straight sections of track connect together and, thereby, form a complete track or track layout. However, the operator must spend considerable time and money constructing anything but the simplest track layouts. The operator must spend time fitting the respective sections together, a task that can be especially tedious when dealing with smaller tracks, such as N-gauge and Z-gauge. In addition, the sections of track can be costly and will add up quickly to a sizable investment.
A problem often encountered with assembling track layouts in the past involved the individual track sections separating from one another. Usually, only a friction fit would secure the adjoining track sections. Oftentimes, adjoining track sections would separate during assembly or use, and, as a result, the electrical and/or mechanical connection between the adjoining rails would be lost. The loss of an electrical connection between one or more of the track sections would result in there being no power provided to the engine, and the train would not properly function. To complicate matters, it was difficult for the operator to distinguish whether there was a problem with the track or if it was the engine which was not working. Even if the problem were narrowed down to the track, the operator could spend considerable time trying to determine where the separation had occurred.
Furthermore, in order to make the assembled track layout portable in the past, it was necessary to secure the track layout to a piece of plywood or the like prior to moving the track. This involved securing each individual section of track to the piece of plywood using small fasteners such as nails. As will be appreciated, such securing of the layout took a considerable amount of time. Even further, it took time, to disassemble the layout in the event the operator needed sections of track for another layout. In all, transporting a track layout was quite inconvenient.
In view of the above described shortcomings of existing vehicle guidance tracks, there is a strong need in the art for an electric vehicle guidance track that offers superior guidance features and which reduces or eliminates the problems associated with the vehicle becoming derailed. Moreover, there is a strong need for a guidance track which enables a derailed vehicle to retrack itself as it proceeds along the track.
Even further, there is a strong need in the art for a guidance track that is compatible with existing model trains. In addition, there is a need for a guidance track that allows for easy placement of the vehicle on the guidance track without requiring special tools. Moreover, there is a strong need for a guidance track that is preassembled, which has a one-piece construction, which can be easily transported or stored, and which is relatively easy to manufacture.
The present invention addresses one or more of the shortcomings encountered with previous vehicle guidance tracks. The present invention is summarized and described in detail below.